News Release

The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into the serious injury sustained by a 19-year-old man last month in December of 2017.

At approximately 4 a.m. on December 30, 2017, Ontario Provincial Police officers with the Huronia West detachment arrested the man for impaired driving. The man was taken to the police detachment and lodged in a cell. While in the cell, the man punched the wall several times. As a result, the man was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with two fractured fingers.

Director Loparco said, “The evidence establishes that the man’s injuries were self-inflicted. Accordingly, I have terminated the investigation into this incident.”

The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault. Under the Police Services Act, the Director of the SIU must

consider whether an officer has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation

depending on the evidence, lay a criminal charge against the officer if appropriate or close the file without any charges being laid